This genus of orchids includes species with an impressive appearance, lacking leaves at least during a period of their growth and development, the plants looking like root masses, loaded with flower stalks during the blooming period, which justifies the popular name "ghost orchid".
From a systematic point of view, the genus Chiloschista described by the renowned English botanist and orchidologist John Lindley in 1832, belongs to the tribe Vandeae, subtribe Sarcanthinae, and derives its name from ancient Greek, where “cheilos” means labellum, and “schistos” means divided, indicating that the species of the genus are distinguished by the presence of a divided labellum. The genus Chiloschista is closely related to the genus Sarcochilus, but differs from it in that Chiloschista species exhibit periodic leaf loss and differences in labellum anatomy.
In reality, some species belonging to this genus produce leaves, but these are lost in the early stages of development.
In general appearance, the plants present themselves as compact, massive root masses emerging from a compact central axis, represented by the stem. When leaves are present, they emerge from this central axis, measuring 2.5 – 5 cm in length and 1 cm in width, but these are lost by the plants before the flowering season. The inflorescences are usually grouped on pendulous stems that can have few to very numerous small flowers, with a captivating appearance, and coloration ranging from creamy white to greenish and up to dark reddish brown. Currently, 19 species belonging to the genus Chiloschista are known, the most well-known in horticultural trade being Chiloschista lunifera, C. usneoides, C. viridiflava, C. trudelii, C. exuperei, C parishii.
The geographical distribution of the genus covers Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and adjacent areas in Southeast Asia. The cultivation requirements for the species of this genus involve special attention to minimum temperature values, which must not fall under any circumstances below 15 – 18 ℃, although the species will prefer high temperatures, up to or above 30 ℃, resembling in this respect the species of the genera Vanda, to which they are related, or the species of Cattleya. Being species that love high humidity values, over 70%, for which frequent watering is recommended, while still allowing the roots to dry before a new watering, it is understood that ventilation must be intense to avoid the development of fungal and bacterial diseases. It is preferable that watering be done in the first part of the day to avoid water stagnation during the night when temperatures drop.
Light radiation values will fall within the upper range, 15000 – 35000 lux, similar to Vanda, Cattleya, and Oncidium species, but avoiding direct light (60 – 70% shading), as this can cause burns on the roots.
For fertilization, which will be administered frequently but diluted to 10 – 25% of the concentrations recommended by manufacturers, a balanced fertilizer with a 1 – 1 – 1 formula will be preferred. Chiloschista species tolerate repotting very poorly; therefore, it is advisable not to divide plants grown on plastic plaques, ceramic, wood, bark, or cork. Plants grown for vegetative propagation will not be mounted but simply positioned on a plastic material support. It is NOT recommended to place them on sphagnum moss substrate, as moisture stagnation in the root area easily leads to plant loss due to fungal and bacterial diseases.
Due to the particularity of the species in this genus, which compensate for the lack of leaves by performing photosynthesis at the root tissue level, it is necessary for the roots to always remain bare, uncovered, and have access to light. This aspect indicates the impossibility of growing these species in pots. It is preferable to position them on smooth substrates, favored more than rough surfaces, which can cause damage to the velamen layer. Repositioning or relocating specimens is recommended only during the initiation of new root growth, which will allow attachment to a new support.
Do you want to see more articles and gain more knowledge? This article is offered for free, but you can support secretgarden.ro with a review here:
Google: Review on Google
Facebook: Review on Facebook